Spatial Distribution of Greater Spotted Eagles (Clanga clanga, Accipitridae, Accipitriformes) during the Wintering Period and Features of Their Habitats Determined Using GPS–GSM Telemetry

Using GPS–GSM trackers, data on the spatial distribution and habitat features during the wintering period were obtained for five young greater spotted eagles (Clanga clanga) tagged in the center of European Russia or the Middle Volga region. The wintering areas of the studied birds, with the exception of one individual in the second and third winters, were located in the Middle East (Israel, northern Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran), in South Africa (Sudan and South Sudan), and in Azerbaijan. The uneven distribution of greater spotted eagles in winter territories was revealed, within which the birds spent most of their time in preferred areas where they stayed for long periods. The size and configuration of winter territories depended on the availability of forage lands. The ecological features of the territories created a difference in the area of wintering grounds and the character of daytime movements of different individuals. A bird wintering in the arid landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula with extremely poor forage conditions was forced to make maximal daily movements in search of prey. At the same time, individuals wintering in the deltaic Caspian plains in Iran and in the Prikubanskaya Plain in southern Russia found areas with rich and accessible food which necessitated minimal daily movements and a minimum radius of the daytime territory. Based on telemetry and visual observations, a previously unknown area of sustainable wintering of greater spotted eagles in the southern part of European Russia has been located. The paddy rice fields in the Prikubanskaya Plain as the most important forage habitat and the likely significance of the numerous and available brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) as the main prey species in winter are discussed. The data obtained form an important basis for the development of a strategy for the protection of this rare vulnerable species across the entire distribution range.